I Got Played!

When Coconut first came to live with us we stopped at the pet store and chatted about food and bought a high protein well-reviewed brand. We think he had been owned at some time in his life because he was pretty much potty trained, could sit, wait, and almost walk on a leash. Given that we found out the hard way that he is a runner, we think he likely ran away one day and because he had no microchip or tags eventually ended up on the shelter.

I drove over and told him I had been adding things to his food in an effort to get him to eat and Jim burst out laughing. “You got played!” tting? My mind ping-ponged back and forth to every possible illness. He suggested I come in and get a small bag of other food and mix the two and see what happened. , eggs, or food toppers and drop them on the mat under his dish and nibble them leaving the food for me to worry over. at mozzarella) sprinkled like fairy dust to make the food delicious. It didn’t take long until he’d race down the stairs, scamper out for his morning pee, rush to the bowl, and turn around with an audible sniff or sigh.

The first few days were terrifying watching him eat so quickly that we were convinced he would choke. But he didn’t. We started with two meals a day and then adjusted the times to accommodate our desire to not get up at 1:00 am to take him out to poop.

Coconut was fourteen-months when we adopted him and within three months he had gained enough weight to go to one meal a day plus some healthy snacks. We changed his food to support NEW PAWSibilities when they were selling Taste of the Wild and it’s been an awesome choice for Coconut’s overall health.

Being at home all day every day during this lockdown has had many challenges for us all including our dogs. My dog was suddenly smelling kitchen smells all day long and those smells were way better than that dry food of his. A few months ago I started adding food toppers from Stella and Chewy just for variety. Then it was eggs that are good for dogs and other ideas gleaned from online research. And a little cheese (low-fat mozzarella) sprinkled like fairy dust to make the food delicious. It didn’t take long until he’d race down the stairs, scamper out for his morning pee, rush to the bowl, and turn around with an audible sniff or sigh.

Where he used to finish his meal in under two minutes it now sat around for hours. Being a mom I started adding more to make the food exciting. I’d get bored with the same diet so why shouldn’t he? After picking out the good bits as we did as kids with Lucky Charms and leaving the rest he’d saunter off to hang with Dad who would hopefully be willing to give him people breakfast food.

At some point, I heard me uttering my mother’s exact words. “You don’t like this? Maybe you’ll like it better tomorrow. You’ll eat it if you get hungry enough. I am not a short-order cook.” I even threw in “This is not Burger King, you may not have it your way!” It didn’t matter. He’d still pick off cheese, eggs, or food toppers and drop them on the mat under his dish and nibble them leaving the food for me to worry over.

Earlier this week I called Jim in a panic asking him could Coconut be sick. Was it depression, lack of as much exercise as he was used to getting? My mind ping-ponged back and forth to every possible illness. He suggested I come in and get a small bag of other food and mix the two and see what happened.

I drove over and told him I had been adding things to his food in an effort to get him to eat and Jim burst out laughing. “You got played!”

Yep, I fell for the same trap as many of you have. Dogs are crazy smart and not only do they have those eyes that communicate on so many levels but they know that you will eventually give in. So now you see why I say I got played.

Happily, Coconut is enjoying his new mix and I have learned my lesson. Jim also told me that if a dog gets hungrier enough they will eat and if they don’t do not do what did or fill them on treats. Dogs can live up to five days without food if they are stubborn enough. Coconut never stopped drinking water and his poop was always the right color and consistency.